Dubai, UAE: M/HQ, the UAE’s leading private wealth optimization platform, its sister company Re/think Middle East, business advisory and outsourced services firm, and ARC Group, the globally renowned financial services and advisory firm, are proud to announce their strategic partnership arrangement aimed at shaping the future of the UAE’s financial services industry.

The announcement was made at Capital Markets and M&A Forum 2024: UAE Edition hosted by ARC Group and EF Hutton in Dubai on 27 February 2024, which served as a platform for thoughtprovoking dialogue between select industry leaders driving cross-border M&A and capital market activity across the Middle East on the future of finance in UAE.

The strategic collaboration will focus on helping small and medium size firms set up and expand their operations in the UAE, particularly family holdings, single-family offices (SFOs), international firms and regulated firms. Family-owned businesses have long been the cornerstone of wealth generation in the UAE: they account for 90% of the total number of private companies in the UAE, employ 80% of the country’s workforce and contribute nearly 50% of UAE’s GDP – thus significantly impacting the country’s financial landscape.

M/HQ, Re/think and ARC Group have already been working together closely for some time. Re/think most recently supported ARC Group with its successful application for the coveted Category 4 license from the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) – a significant milestone for ARC Group, which is now actively expanding its operations in Abu Dhabi and is poised to play a major role in shaping the future of the region's financial landscape.

Yann Mrazek, Managing Partner M/HQ commented: “Family-owned businesses contribute nearly 50% of the UAE’s GDP and single-family offices (SFOs) are at the nexus of the intergenerational transfer of wealth: USD 1 trillion over the next decade. However, SFOs face new challenges – the introduction of corporate tax – and, for the first time, are under the pressure to deliver steady returns to safeguard their legacies.

“M/HQ and Re/think have the privilege to service SFOs and sophisticated proprietary investment companies that are increasingly diversifying from traditional assets classes towards M&A and the capital markets, and it is paramount for them to have access to reliable advisors when the time comes. We are thus honoured to partner with ARC Group to provide a holistic service for our clients and to help shape the future of the UAE’s financial landscape.” 

Abraham Cinta, CEO of ARC Group, said: “We strongly believe that fostering strong partnerships and collaborations are key to capitalize on regional opportunities and we are delighted to partner with M/HQ and Re/think as we expand our operations in the UAE. We welcome the opportunity to service clients in a region with such significant potential and look forward to playing a major role in the continued growth and success of the UAE in the global financial sphere.”

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About:

M/HQ is a multi-services private wealth management optimization platform catering to successful individuals and international families. Its one-stop-shop offering is unique in the Middle East: a holistic and cross-disciplinary combination of a market-leading corporate services firm, a private client specialist team and a regulatory and compliance services practice, all through one single platform. Focusing on wealth structuring and legacy planning issues, M/HQ particularly assist in establishing and servicing Family- and Group- Holdings, Single- and Multi- Family offices, Foundations and other asset consolidation/ protection and intergenerational wealth management structures. Headquartered in the UAE since 2009, we are an entrepreneurial firm for entrepreneurial clients.

Re/think is an award-winning business advisory and outsourced services firm providing accounting, regulatory and compliance, tax, audit, HR consultancy and recruitment services to regulated firms, multi- and single-family offices, and other operating businesses.

Established in the UAE in 2013, Re/think today has 80 compliance, finance, tax and HR professionals across three offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi focused on providing clients with timely, proactive, and customized business solutions from set-up and early development to the latest stages of a business lifecycle.

www.rethink-hq.com

ARC Group Ltd. is a globally renowned financial services and advisory firm with a strong focus on Asia. The firm specializes in a diverse range of services, including investment banking, asset management, and corporate finance. ARC Group is recognized for its deep industry knowledge, innovative approach, and unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional client service. With recent authorization in the Abu Dhabi Global Market, ARC Group is now actively expanding its operations in Abu Dhabi, poised to play a major role in shaping the future of the region's financial landscape.

For further information, please contact Sarah D’Souza, Marketing & Communications Specialist at dsouza@m-hq.com and +971 56 368 7106